Losing your keys on a night out in Amsterdam means you cannot get in and you cannot be sure where the keys are, which makes it both a lockout and a security problem at the same time.
It is the single most common reason people call us between midnight and five. Somewhere between the last bar, the taxi and the front door, a keyring stopped being in a pocket. The frustrating part is that you rarely know where it happened, and that uncertainty is what decides what you should do next.
The first ten minutes
Check every pocket properly, including the ones you never use, and the lining if the coat is old. Call your own phone if the keys were on the same ring as an airtag or a card holder. Ring the last venue, because bar staff collect keys constantly and hold them behind the counter for days.
Then look at your housemates or neighbours. A spare key three doors down solves the whole evening. If none of that lands within fifteen minutes, stop searching and make the call, because standing outside in the cold at two in the morning is not a plan.
Getting back in tonight
A door that is only on the latch is usually opened in under a minute and without any damage. A door locked with the key takes longer and depends on what kind of cylinder is in it. Older cylinders can often be opened with no trace at all. Certified high security cylinders are built to resist exactly that, so in some cases the cylinder is drilled and replaced on the spot. We always tell you which situation you are in before we start rather than afterwards.
The price is agreed on the phone before we set off. What is included is set out on our locksmith services page.
Do the keys need to be replaced too
Ask yourself one question: could anyone link those keys to your address. If the ring held a card, a name tag, a parking pass, a supermarket card or an address label, the answer is yes and the cylinder should be changed. If the keys were anonymous and probably fell in a canal, opening the door is enough.
Insurers take the same view. A door opened with a key that was never reported lost is a difficult claim, and changing a cylinder costs a fraction of that argument.
Getting a spare organised afterwards
Almost everyone says this will not happen again. The two things that actually prevent a repeat are a spare key at someone else’s address within walking distance, and a certified key safe fixed to your own wall with a code you can change. Both cost less than one night call-out. A key hidden in the garden or above the door frame is not a third option, because that is the first place anyone looks.
Frequently asked questions
Shorter answers to common questions sit on our locksmith FAQ page.
How fast can you come at night?
Usually within 30 minutes, anywhere in Amsterdam, including weekends and public holidays.
Is it more expensive at night?
The price you hear on the phone already includes the hour. There is no separate night surcharge added later.
Will you damage my door?
In most cases no. If the cylinder has to be drilled, we say so first and fit a new one immediately.
Do I have to prove I live there?
Yes. We ask for identification or another link to the address before opening any door.
Should I change the lock straight away?
If anything on the keyring pointed to your address, yes. We can do it in the same visit.
Standing outside right now?
Call +31 (0)20 210 1986 and a certified locksmith heads your way immediately. For a lock change that can wait until morning, use our contact page.
